McCall Mine Metal/Non-Metal

Helping another maintenance employee lift and position the metal refractory door to the combustion chamber to the No. 1 Hammer Mill, he strained his lower back. Treating physician issued work restrictions for one week. Employee (Maintenance Electrician) continues working (light duty) and has not lost time.

Injured employee (Maintenance Oiler) was helping another maintenance employee lift & position the product pipe on top of Roller Mill #2 and twisted his left knee. Pre-existing condition is the primary contributing factor. He was evaluated by an orthopedic doctor on July 2 who placed him on restricted work duty (no lost time).

Crusher operator stepped on rock causing left ankle sprain. Reported to supervisor on 2/22/07. Doctor issued work restrictions resulting in lost time. Employee expected to return to work full-duty on 3/5/07.

While re-installing a mesh guard, the maintenance mechanic's right hand's forefinger was lacerated (stitches were needed to close the wound).

Per the treating physician, metal shavings with some rust entered his left eye causing discomfort, blurred vision, & an infection the following week. It is unclear exactly when & how the injury took place. It is believed to be during a job on April 14 involving a cutting torch & grinder to remove nuts & bolts from a whizzer blade. Appropriate eye protection was being worn.

Alleges that railcar bulk loading spout fell & struck lower back resulting in an alleged low back strain.

While positioning No. 1 Roller Mill's 150-hp fan motor with forklift boom, chain, & cable, the motor became wedged. Three maintenance mechanics physically pulled & pushed and the motor came free, swung, and crushed one mechanic's left forearm (pinned between the gear box & drive coupling hub). The one injured mechanic required emergency medical treatment & surgery.

Injured employee was physically pulling the vacuum hose of the HiVac with 2 other employees and alleges he felt pain in his back. Begain losing time due to alleged back pain on November 30. Interestingly, employee has a history of pre-existing back problem conditions (non-work-related minor league baseball and alleged work-related injury reported on July 6, 2004).

Employee was manually (by hand) turning the drive belts to a screw's drive motor to try to get the screw started. The belts pulled his right hand in between the belts and the pulley causing amputation (from tip to first joint) of his right hand ring finger. He did not follow a known & recognized safety practice (Lock-Out, Tag-Out, & Try-Out).

Employee was bagging & stacking 50-lb. bags of product when he alleges he felt pain in his back, neck, shoulder blade area, and down the right arm. Treating physician diagnoses as an aggravation to his pre-existing illness, which is non-work related. Employee has been placed on light duty until circumstances are resolved.

Injured employee was bagging at the No. 5 Bagger and brushed his right elbow up against the bagging machine's loading spout, which was sharp due to the natural wear of the product, causing a laceration that required four stitches. Employee returned to work full-duty.

Injured employee was using a cast hammer mill hammer to try to open a slide gate. The employee slipped when swinging the hammer and struck his left hand with the hammer. The force and hammer's sharp edge amputated the tips of the 1st index and middle of the left hand. Rubber mallets are available for this and all workers had been informed to use only the rubber mallets.

Metal being lifted by a forklift shifted and fell causing forklift extension to hit a nearby employee in the face/lip. Laceration required two stitches and employee had work restrictions for two days. Employee has returned to full duty.

Physicians have documented a "Fuller's Earth Pneumoconiosis," as of August 2, 2004. Employer attempted to obtain an "ILO Verification" of this diagnosis; however, the employee has recently obtained an attorney. In the interest of fulfilling statutory requirements, the company is reporting as a reportable illness until such time as the diagnosis can be properly confirmed.

EMPLOYEE WAS LIFTING A 48 X 48 WOODEN PALLET WHEN HE FELT A TINGLE IN HIS BACK. ON THE WAY HOME THAT EVENING HE EXPERIENCED PAIN AND NUMBNESS IN HIS BACK AND LEG.

THE EMPLOYEE HAS HAD DIABETES FOR APPROXIMATELY 17 YEARS. THESE PRESSURE ULCERS ON HIS FEET WERE DIAGNOSED AS BEING THE RESULT OF 8-12 HOUR DAYS OF WORKING ON HIS FEET. THE EMPLOYEE'S DIABETES IS ALSO OUT OF CONTROL AT THE PRESENT TIME.

EMPLOYEE WAS LIFTING AN ITEM IN AN AWKWARD POSITION AND STRAINED HIS BACK. THE ITEM WAS REPORTED NOT TO BE VERY HEAVY. EMPLOYEE WAS LOADING A RAIL CAR. HE WAS M0VING A LOADING HOSE FROM ONE HOLE TO ANOTHER. IT APPEARS THAT HE LIFTED AND TWISTED WITH HIS BACK AT THE SAME TIME. RESULT WAS PULLED MUSCLE.

EE WAS SHIFTING ELECTRICAL LOAD FROM ONE BREAKER TO ANOTHER. BREAKERS WERE THROWN, LINES WERE CHECKED FOR RESIDUAL LOAD. WIRES WERE MOVED AND EE WAS TIGHTENING STUDS. THE LINE OR BREAKER REENERGIZED AND SPARKED, BURNING EE.

SAND/DUST WAS BLOWN INTO THE RIGHT EYE OF THE EMPLOYEE WHILE DOING HIS JOB.

THE EE WAS BAGGING PRODUCT AND AS HE WAS THROWING THE FILLED BAG HE TWISTED HIS BODY CAUSING A LUMBAR SPRAIN IN HIS BACK. INJURY WAS MINIMAL, THE EE WAS GIVEN A PRESCRIPTION, AND ALLOWED TO RETURN TO WORK THE FOLLOWING DAY.

ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WAS ON UPPER LEVEL. SOME MATERIAL WAS KICKED OFF THAT LEVEL AT THE SAME TIME THE INJURED EE LOOKED UP. MATERIAL FELL INTO EE'S EYES AROUND HIS SAFETY GLASSES.

EE WAS EMPTYING SAND FROM HOPPER INTO TRUCK. HE PUSHED THE HOPPER TO INCREASE THE TILT. THE HOPPER ROLLED BACK AS HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTRICT THE ROLL BACK. HE STRAINED HIS RIGHT SHOULDER.

THE BAG ON THE SPOUT BLEW UP IN HIS FACE JUST AS HE WAS TURNING TOWARD THE BAGGER BLOWING CLAY INTO BOTH EYES. EE IS COMPLAINING OF A WHITE FILMOVER HIS EYES.

EE WAS SWEEPING THE SHIPPING FLOOR. CO-WORKER WAS ON THE FORKLIFT MOVING A LOADED PALLET AND WHILE BACKING THE FORKLIFT UP, EE'S LEFT ANKLE WAS HIT BY FORKLIFT TIRE.

EE WAS BAGGING CLAY WHEN HE HIT HIS HAND ON BAGGING MACHINE & CUT HIS RIGHT INDEX FINGER CAUSINGA LACERATION REQUIRING 3 STITCHES

EE WAS OPERATING FORKLIFT WITH FOOT HANGING ON ONE SIDE OF THE LIFT. FOOT STRUCK A PALLET OF BAGS OF CLAY TWISTING HIS FOOT & CAUSING SPRAIN

EMPLOYEE WAS HELPING INSTALL A GEAR BOX ON ELEVATOR SHAFT. BOX FELL AND CAUGHT EMPLOYEE'S RIGHTRING FINGER BETWEEN GEAR REDUCER AND GUARD SUPPORT AND TORE OFF FINGERNAIL.